BBD 05.22.06 Friends Forever
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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05.22.06
Friends Forever
A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who
sticks closer than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his
friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. - John
15:12-14.
They were just a couple of friends driving along when they noticed they
needed some gas and stopped to fill up the tank. After filling the tank, the
driver found she did not have enough money to pay for the gas she already
had in the tank. So, a deal was worked out with the station attendant. Her
friend would stay at the station until the driver could return with the
amount owed. It all happened in Germany and a spokesperson for the police in
Muenchberg explains, "She didn't have enough money to pay the bill, so her
friend stayed behind as a human deposit while she went to withdraw cash.
Unfortunately, the woman did not return." The woman left as a "deposit" at
the gas station was stranded, waiting two hours for her friend to come back
(She never did.) and then the police arrived to interrogate her but did
finally release her. The missing driver will probably be arrested for fraud.
What do you think? Do you think the two friends are going to now remain
friends forever? Probably not! Solomon appears to be on to something when he
tells us in Proverbs that, "A man who has friends must himself be
friendly.." In other words, if you want to have friends, and want to keep
those friends - you need to act like a friend. Leaving a friend in an
unpleasant situation like the driver did in Germany is not being a friend.
It is taking advantage of a friendship, which will result in friction and
problems developing in the relationship.
Friends in life are important and provide us with much encouragement and
comfort. Sometimes friends do disappoint us and do us wrong. However, as
Solomon also points out there is a friend that is not like that. There is a
friend that will not only show Himself friendly, but he will stick closer to
us than a brother. That friend, is Jesus Christ. All may turn away and leave
us stranded; however, Jesus will never do that. Jesus will always be there
waiting for us to return to Him.
Is it possible for you to cause a disruption in your friendship with the
Lord Jesus? Yes. Why? Because He, Jesus, has given us some commandments,
some guidelines for the eternal friendship. He says, "You are My friends if
you do whatever I command you." If we refuse to live like we know He wants
us to live - there will be a breach that develops in the relationship. Who
caused the breach? You did. If we want to continue on a normal basis in our
friendship with the Lord then we must confess our sinfulness (1 John 1:9)
and turn back to walk in the ways of righteousness with Him.
Friends are forever. Actually, there is only one friend that you can count
on forever and that is Jesus Christ. He has proven His love by dying for you
on the cross (Romans 5:8). There is no greater love, no greater friendship
than that.
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
UPDATE - PRAYER REQUEST: The outpatient surgery to remove the two polyps on
my vocal cords went very well. Will not be preaching for a couple of weeks
but should be fine. Should receive results of biopsy next week. Thanks for
all of your prayers! Ed Wrather.
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